Leber先天性黑矇致病基因研究及基因治疗进展

Leber先天性黑矇(LCA)是一种严重的遗传性视网膜病变,具有遗传异质性与表型多样性的特点。近年来的遗传学研究相继发现多个致病基因与LCA发病相关,并对这些致病基因的发病机制作了进一步研究。LCA基因治疗已经从临床前期动物研究阶段进入Ⅰ期临床试验阶段,尤其是在LCAⅡ型患者中进行的RPE65基因治疗方面取得了突破性进展,为其他遗传性视网膜疾病的基因治疗打下良好的基础。     

Leber先天性黑矇的基因治疗研究进展

Leber先天性黑矇(LCA)是一种严重的先天性致肓遗传性视网膜疾病.近1O年来,随着分子遗传学的发展及基因治疗技术的进步,以腺相关病毒载体介导的LCA基因治疗研究取得了令人鼓舞的进展,尤其是对LCAⅡ患者进行的RPE65基因治疗的Ⅰ期临床试验的成功使其成为眼科遗传性疾病基因治疗领域中的先行者,为今后进行其他遗传性视网膜疾病的基因治疗开辟了光明的前景.本文就目前LCA基因治疗的临床前研究及Ⅰ期临床试验的进展等方面作一综述.

Abstract：

Leber congenital amaurosis (LCA)is an early onset retinal dystrophy that causes severe visual impairment. With the development of molecular genetics and the therapeutic gene replacement technology, the adeno-associated viral (AAV) vector-mediated gene therapy for LCA achieved encouraging progress in the past decade. The success of the Phase Ⅰ clinical trials of human RPE65 gene therapy for LCA Ⅱ patients makes it a pioneer in the field of retinal gene therapy and brings light to the cure of other hereditary retinopathy. This article briefly reviews the recent developments in the preclinical animal experiments and Phase Ⅰ clinical trials for LCA.     

Leber先天性黑蒙基因研究进展

Leber先天性黑蒙(LCA)是导致婴幼儿先天性盲的严重遗传性视网膜疾病。近年发现数种与LCA相关的致病基因,主要包括GUCY2D、RPE6 5、CRX、AIPL1、RPGRIP1和CRB1,其功能涉及视网膜光电信号的传导、维生素A在视网膜的代谢、光感受器细胞的分化和形态发育、蛋白的转运和分布等。针对RPE6 5的基因治疗在动物实验中取得了一定的成果,将是未来LCA临床治疗的主要研究方向。本文就当前LCA的致病基因及其可能的发病机制、基因治疗等方面的研究进展作一综述。     

Leber先天性黑蒙基因研究进展

Leber先天性黑蒙(LCA)是导致婴幼儿先天性盲的严重遗传性视网膜疾病。近年发现，数种与LCA相关的致病基因，主要包括GUCY2D、RPE65、CRX、AIPL1、RPGRIP1和CRB1，其功能涉及视网膜光电信号的传导、维生素A在视网膜的代谢、光感受器细胞的分化和形态发育、蛋白的转运和分布等。针对RPE65的基因治疗在动物实验中取得了一定的成果，将是未来LCA临床治疗的主要研究方向。本就当前LCA的致病基因及其可能的发病机制、基因治疗等方面的研究进展作一综述。     

遗传性视网膜疾病的基因研究进展

遗传性视网膜疾病是临床上最常见且危害最严重的眼科遗传性致盲疾病,主要包括各种类型的视网膜色素变性、Leber先天性黑朦、先天性静止性夜盲、卵黄样黄斑营养不良、Stargardt病等.人类基因组计划的完成及相关遗传学技术的广泛应用为遗传性视网膜疾病的基因研究提供了有效手段,目前已经取得了一系列突破性进展,特别是等位基因特异性引物延伸芯片技术的应用,极大地提高了遗传性视网膜疾病基因突变筛查的进度,到目前为止,已经鉴定出46个与遗传性视网膜疾病相关的致病基因和2497个突变位点.遗传性视网膜疾病最根本的治疗方法是基因治疗,而进行基因治疗的前提是首先要筛查到致病基因.因此有必要对国内外近年来有关遗传性视网膜疾病的基因研究近况进行综述,以供眼科同道参考.     

视网膜色素变性治疗循证指南(2021年)

视网膜色素变性(retinitis pigmentosa,RP)是眼科常见的遗传性视网膜疾病,常合并眼部多种并发症.针对RP原发病治疗的报道较多,包括药物、激光、手术治疗以及基因治疗和细胞治疗等.既往的治疗方法大多疗效不明确,而近期发展的某些基因治疗和细胞治疗方法经临床试验证实了其安全性,可改善部分患者视功能,值得进行...     

遗传性视网膜疾病腺相关病毒载体基因治疗新进展

腺相关病毒载体(AAV)是目前最重要的病毒工具,已在基因治疗领域得到广泛应用;因其具有体积小、无包膜、无致病性等特点,故而是治疗遗传性视网膜疾病的主要手段之一。目前针对原癌基因酪氨酸激酶基因治疗视网膜色素变性、ND4基因治疗Leber遗传性视神经病变以及Rab伴随蛋白-1基因治疗无脉络膜症的临床试验均发现约一半的患者视力改善。针对AAV基因治疗Leber先天性黑矇、X连锁视网膜劈裂症、全色盲以及老年性黄斑变性的临床试验也正在开展。而关于Stargardt病、Usher综合征、真性小眼球的AAV基因治疗尚在动物实验或理论阶段。目前AAV基因治疗主要用于隐性遗传性视网膜疾病,对于显性遗传性视网膜疾病需采用成簇规律间隔的短回文重复序列及其相关蛋白9技术等来干预。对于遗传性视网膜疾病的治疗,这将是一个重要且复杂的系统性工程,需投入更多人力物力共同参与和研究,期待在不久的将来能有大的突破。     

视网膜色素变性的治疗进展

视网膜色素变性(RP)是一组以进行性感光细胞及色素上皮细胞功能丧失为共同表现的遗传性视网膜疾病.临床表现为夜盲,伴有进行性视野缺损,眼底色素沉着和视网膜电流图异常.近年对该病治疗上有一些研究.文中介绍了应用基因治疗、细胞移植、药物、人工视觉等方面治疗RP的一些进展.     

视网膜相关疾病基因治疗的现状

随着对各种疾病认识的深入和医疗手段的提高,精准医学要求我们将研究细化到分子水平。基因治疗以其独有的优势成为遗传性疾病的重要治疗手段。视网膜由于其特有的优势一直处在基因治疗研究的最前沿,已在体外实验和疾病模型中获得了较为成熟的理论和技术,已有部分转化为临床成果。本文重点综述视网膜相关疾病的基因治疗现状,分析其研究成果、突变位点和疾病模型,希望对后续疾病的研究方向和治疗手段提供有价值的参考。我们还列出了目前常用的基因治疗载体,以供相关研究者选择和改进。     

无脉络膜症诊断技术及基因治疗的新进展

无脉络膜症(CHM)是一种X连锁隐性遗传性视网膜疾病, 表现为光感受器、视网膜色素上皮和脉络膜的进行性退化。临床表现为缓慢进行性夜盲及视野缺损, 目前尚无有效治疗方法。眼底检查技术的发展为临床提供了更多辅助诊断和随访观察的指标, 二代测序技术的出现进一步提高了遗传性视网膜疾病的诊断率, 逐渐加深了对CHM发病机制及自然病程的认识。CHM基因治疗的多项临床试验在十年内已经取得一定效果, 在基因治疗的载体优化、治疗时间窗选择及试验不良事件的处理等方面均有重要进展。未来需要加深对CHM自然病程的认识, 针对治疗时间窗采取个性化的治疗及终点评价指标。通过评估疾病严重程度的差异, 针对不同阶段采取个性化治疗方案更有益于预后。     

Early and late stage gene therapy interventions for inherited retinal degenerations

Inherited and age-related retinal degeneration is the hallmark of a large group of heterogeneous diseases and is the main cause of untreatable blindness today. Genetic factors play a major pathogenic role in retinal degenerations for both monogenic diseases (such as retinitis pigmentosa) and complex diseases with established genetic risk factors (such as age-related macular degeneration). Progress in genotyping techniques and back of the eye imaging are completing our understanding of these diseases and their manifestations in patient populations suffering from retinal degenerations. It is clear that whatever the genetic cause, the majority of vision loss in retinal diseases results from the loss of photoreceptor function. The timing and circumstances surrounding the loss of photoreceptor function determine the adequate therapeutic approach to use for each patient. Among such approaches, gene therapy is rapidly becoming a therapeutic reality applicable in the clinic. This massive move from laboratory work towards clinical application has been propelled by the advances in our understanding of disease genetics and mechanisms, gene delivery vectors, gene editing systems, and compensatory strategies for loss of photoreceptor function. Here, we provide an overview of existing modalities of retinal gene therapy and their relevance based on the needs of patient populations suffering from inherited retinal degenerations.     

Molecular genetics and emerging therapies for retinitis pigmentosa: Basic research and clinical perspectives

Retinitis Pigmentosa (RP) is a hereditary retinopathy that affects about 2.5 million people worldwide. It is characterized with progressive loss of rods and cones and causes severe visual dysfunction and eventual blindness in bilateral eyes. In addition to more than 3000 genetic mutations from about 70 genes, a wide genetic overlap with other types of retinal dystrophies has been reported with RP. This diversity of genetic pathophysiology makes treatment extremely challenging. Although therapeutic attempts have been made using various pharmacologic agents (neurotrophic factors, antioxidants, and anti-apoptotic agents), most are not targeted to the fundamental cause of RP, and their clinical efficacy has not been clearly proven. Current therapies for RP in ongoing or completed clinical trials include gene therapy, cell therapy, and retinal prostheses. Gene therapy, a strategy to correct the genetic defects using viral or non-viral vectors, has the potential to achieve definitive treatment by replacing or silencing a causative gene. Among many clinical trials of gene therapy for hereditary retinal diseases, a phase 3 clinical trial of voretigene neparvovec (AAV2-hRPE65v2, Luxturna) recently showed significant efficacy for RPE65-mediated inherited retinal dystrophy including Leber congenital amaurosis and RP. It is about to be approved as the first ocular gene therapy biologic product. Despite current limitations such as limited target genes and indicated patients, modest efficacy, and the invasive administration method, development in gene editing technology and novel gene delivery carriers make gene therapy a promising therapeutic modality for RP and other hereditary retinal dystrophies in the future.     

骨髓间充质干细胞治疗视网膜新生血管性疾病的研究进展

视网膜新生血管性疾病并非独立的一种眼病,常见于许多眼病中,如早产儿视网膜病变、糖尿病视网膜病变、年龄相关性黄斑变性、视网膜中央静脉阻塞和视网膜静脉周围炎等都会形成新生血管,是严重损害视力的病变。此类疾病丧失正常血管的结构和功能,引起病理性出血、渗出、水肿和视网膜脱离等病理性改变,是视力丧失的主要原因,已经成为世界范围的致盲性疾病。目前主要的治疗方法为针对病因进行激光封闭,或行玻璃体切除术,或是反复、多次玻璃体腔注射抗血管内皮生长因子,虽然短期效果好,但不能防止复发,目前仍没有长期有效的治疗方法。干细胞治疗的出现为此提供了潜在的替代疗法。本文将对骨髓间充质干细胞(bone marrow mesenchymal stem cells,BMSCs)在视网膜新生血管疾病中的最新应用进展作一综述,展示其移植优势和良好的临床应用前景。     

Leber congenital amaurosis: genes, proteins and disease mechanisms

Leber congenital amaurosis (LCA) is the most severe retinal dystrophy causing blindness or severe visual impairment before the age of 1 year. Linkage analysis, homozygosity mapping and candidate gene analysis facilitated the identification of 14 genes mutated in patients with LCA and juvenile retinal degeneration, which together explain approximately 70% of the cases. Several of these genes have also been implicated in other non-syndromic or syndromic retinal diseases, such as retinitis pigmentosa and Joubert syndrome, respectively. CEP290 (15%), GUCY2D (12%), and CRB1 (10%) are the most frequently mutated LCA genes; one intronic CEP290 mutation (p.Cys998X) is found in approximately 20% of all LCA patients from north-western Europe, although this frequency is lower in other populations. Despite the large degree of genetic and allelic heterogeneity, it is possible to identify the causative mutations in approximately 55% of LCA patients by employing a microarray-based, allele-specific primer extension analysis of all known DNA variants. The LCA genes encode proteins with a wide variety of retinal functions, such as photoreceptor morphogenesis (CRB1, CRX), phototransduction (AIPL1, GUCY2D), vitamin A cycling (LRAT, RDH12, RPE65), guanine synthesis (IMPDH1), and outer segment phagocytosis (MERTK). Recently, several defects were identified that are likely to affect intra-photoreceptor ciliary transport processes (CEP290, LCA5, RPGRIP1, TULP1). As the eye represents an accessible and immune-privileged organ, it appears to be uniquely suitable for human gene replacement therapy. Rodent (Crb1, Lrat, Mertk, Rpe65, Rpgrip1), avian (Gucy2D) and canine (Rpe65) models for LCA and profound visual impairment have been successfully corrected employing adeno-associated virus or lentivirus-based gene therapy. Moreover, phase 1 clinical trials have been carried out in humans with RPE65 deficiencies. Apart from ethical considerations inherently linked to treating children, major obstacles for the treatment of LCA could be the putative developmental deficiencies in the visual cortex in persons blind from birth (amblyopia), the absence of sufficient numbers of viable photoreceptor or RPE cells in LCA patients, and the unknown and possibly toxic effects of overexpression of transduced genes. Future LCA research will focus on the identification of the remaining causal genes, the elucidation of the molecular mechanisms of disease in the retina, and the development of gene therapy approaches for different genetic subtypes of LCA.     

Leber congenital amaurosis due to RPE65 mutations and its treatment with gene therapy

Leber congenital amaurosis (LCA) is a rare hereditary retinal degeneration caused by mutations in more than a dozen genes. RPE65, one of these mutated genes, is highly expressed in the retinal pigment epithelium where it encodes the retinoid isomerase enzyme essential for the production of chromophore which forms the visual pigment in rod and cone photoreceptors of the retina. Congenital loss of chromophore production due to RPE65-deficiency together with progressive photoreceptor degeneration cause severe and progressive loss of vision. RPE65-associated LCA recently gained recognition outside of specialty ophthalmic circles due to early success achieved by three clinical trials of gene therapy using recombinant adeno-associated virus (AAV) vectors. The trials were built on multitude of basic, pre-clinical and clinical research defining the pathophysiology of the disease in human subjects and animal models, and demonstrating the proof-of-concept of gene (augmentation) therapy. Substantial gains in visual function of clinical trial participants provided evidence for physiologically relevant biological activity resulting from a newly introduced gene. This article reviews the current knowledge on retinal degeneration and visual dysfunction in animal models and human patients with RPE65 disease, and examines the consequences of gene therapy in terms of improvement of vision reported.     

Available Evidence on Leber Congenital Amaurosis and Gene Therapy

ABSTRACT

Leber congenital amaurosis (LCA) is a group of severe inherited retinal dystrophies that lead to early childhood blindness. In the last decade, interest in LCA has increased as advances in genetics have been applied to better identify, classify, and treat LCA. To date, 23 LCA genes have been identified. Gene replacement in the RPE65 form of LCA represents a major advance in treatment, although limitations have been recognized. In this article, we review the clinical and genetic features of LCA and evaluate the evidence available for gene therapy in RPE65 disease.     

靶向治疗视网膜疾病的研究进展

作为一种非传统但十分新颖而精准的疗法,基因手段在多种遗传性视网膜疾病的诊治中代表了一种全新而可靠的希望,尤其是先天性黑曚与Stargardt病.近年来,随着临床应用技术和诊断水平的更新及提高,利用基因手段来诊治遗传性视网膜疾病成效颇丰.本文旨在概述测序技术和基因治疗在遗传性视网膜疾病中的作用和最新的研究进展,并对目前使...     

Gentherapie bei Netzhautdystrophien

Genetic mutations are the cause of inherited retinal dystrophies. The underlying genetic basis of these diseases suggests that a gene therapy approach is logical either to replace or reduce the expression of defective genes. The first proof-of-concept clinical studies in patients with Leber's congenital amaurosis have suggested that retinal gene therapy is safe and potentially effective, at least for specific disease entities. In contrast to pharmacological treatment gene therapy has the advantage of being able to express a protein within specific cell populations and is a potentially definitive therapy. Besides replacing deficient genes in inherited diseases, additional strategies that might broaden the application of retinal gene therapy are also being developed. These include the permanent expression of neuroprotective substances or photosensitive molecules (so-called optogenetics). This overview discusses the current clinical strategies and potential problems of retinal gene therapy.